Before we set off from Azov, Nicolai stopped by and brought us some freshly prepared fish for the journey … And Alexei warned us urgently to be careful. If the wind comes from the west in Tangarog Bay, it can whip up the waves and make the journey very uncomfortable. The wind came from the west, and it was strong … So I didn’t bother much about shipping lanes, but instead chose a route that allowed me to “cut” the waves head-on, which seemed wise given the situation. This must have stressed the coast guard, who – again, given the situation, just a few kilometres off the former Ukrainian coast – radioed me and ordered me to change course. So I brought the ArgoFram back on official course. As a result, the first petrol cans came loose and flew overboard due to the heavy rocking … Lena clambered forward to the bow to secure the remaining cans, and then the unimaginable happened: a wave hit the side of the boat with such force that Lena lost her balance, fell forward between the cans and broke her forearm and wrist. She managed to get back into the cockpit, operated her mobile phone with just one hand and found out that there was a hospital in Yeysk.
My position: less than 30 km from the embattled city of Mariupol, it would be either another 250 km or five to six hours into the Sea of Azov and across to Kerch, or around 40 km or an hour “back” to Yeysk – I don’t have to decide. I turn around and switch off the radio. Later, I switch it back on so that Lena can report a medical emergency and register us in Yeysk. Yeysk is interestingly located: there is a cargo port on the north side of Tangarog Bay and a relatively quiet, long tourist beach area on the south side of this peninsula, where we are already met by the emergency services.
They are not enthusiastic, but at least we are welcomed collegially, and Lena is taken to hospital immediately. Oleg is one of those helpers, a true comrade. (Oleg was a paratrooper with over 4,000 jumps and is now retired, helping out as a volunteer in the emergency services.) He allows Lena to stay in his holiday apartment until the stormy wind passes and her forearm is at least stable. We now must ask ourselves what to do next. Our destination is Sochi… But her arm needs rest and care.
The weather is on our side; it’s so bad out there in the Sea of Azov (not here on the beach) that we use the days to recover – I mutate into a sunbathing tourist, Lena gets a new cast, and together with Oleg we explore the area, visit a vintage car museum (motorcycles, cars and aeroplanes), which he maintains together with his club colleagues, and we are invited to all kinds of activities with Oleg’s family. Our luck in misfortune!